First and foremost, congratulations on taking the leap and deciding to pursue your Makeup Artistry education online! Now that your feet are in the water, the real journey begins. The makeup industry is a highly competitive field, with an influx of people fighting to get the right job, and who are putting all of their time and energy into making it in this industry.

With that aside, you are prepared to start your path, learn the craft and ace the course, because yes, you can become a successful student with dedication, practice, and the eagerness to learn!

Taking an online course provides you with a lot of flexibility. You might be taking it because you have a second job, maybe it’s your location, or because it just fits your lifestyle better. No matter the reason, this flexibility means that you will have to go the extra miles in order to be successful. Discipline is the key to success in an online learning environment, in order to build the structure that you can find in the in-person classroom.

There is also some good news: Our industry has grown by more than 40 percent in the last 10 years, and it’s supposed to continue to increase over the next five! That means there’s no shortage of business in your desired field. So let’s get to work!

Here are 8 tips that will help you be successful in your course as you pursue Makeup Artistry.

1. Self-Discipline

What’s different about an online course is that you have to take a bit more responsibility for your education. You will have to be the student, but also be part teacher. You will have to be the person that creates the structure, pushing yourself further and deciding the time you put into it. You will also have to be the one who decides what makeup looks you submit, and believe me, it’s never the first one you try. Anything you send will be evaluated thoroughly so put in the time, practice the techniques, try it on different faces, and feel free to submit as many times as you would like, as our instructor’s goal is for you to master Makeup Artistry!. Typically, your first attempt (as you are learning) will never be your best work, but don’t be afraid to submit! Continue to work hard, develop your techniques, as you become comfortable and proud of what you create.

2. Practice

Practice is your best friend. After you watch the tutorials, it’s time for you to play! Start on yourself, discover how the techniques feel in your hand. You are at the beginning, so if things don’t work out, start again. Analyze what went wrong and do it again. You are creating the foundation of a makeup career, you are discovering what can go wrong and what works for you. Practicing will also highlight any bad habits that you might have, and enable you to “reteach” yourself the techniques that you may have found you were applying incorrectly.

3. Find Models

Even though your own face is your most accessible canvas, you will soon realize that it will not be enough to perfect your skills. Reach out to family, friends, anybody that is willing to help and let you practice on them. Successful makeup application is about adjusting to different faces, angles, eye colors, skin issues and personalities. It’s a lot about working on your feet and remember: whatever works on you, might have to be adjusted on a different person. When all of your close resources are depleted, then reach out, make new friends and connections. A good social network is also an important aspect of any successful makeup career.

4. Be Specific

This covers so many aspects of our online course. Read the materials and follow the exact directions of the assignment. If the course requires you to practice in a certain area, follow the directions, as there is always a reason why. This will be a good skill to have later on, especially when working with clients.

5. Ask Questions

There is nothing wrong with being lost, and even if you’re not, ask questions anyway!! Instructors want their students to be successful and expect them to ask questions. The virtual space in online learning can only be a barrier if you let it get in the way. Remember you are not on your own. If you have questions about the content of the course, need clarification on a difficult concept- ask! Our professional makeup artist instructors will work hands on and directly with our students to help to cultivate and master their individual strengths and unique artistry as they find their individual niche and career path as a makeup artist.

6. Manage Your Time

Even if the course doesn’t have a time restraint or deadline. Make sure to set your own goals. It’s great to have the flexibility to learn and discover at your own pace, but having a schedule or time of day especially saved to developing this new career path and practicing your craft will help you see results faster. Remember, it’s not about rushing. Makeup Artistry is a lifetime career and becoming a true professional requires years of dedication.

7. Polish Your Photography Skills

There are a few aspects in taking a picture that will make your life so much easier in submitting your work: lightning, background, focus, angles and cropping. As your work will be assessed through your picture, make sure that you do your absolute best. Use natural light if possible, it’s the easiest light source available in taking a great picture and is accessible to everyone. Also make sure to choose a minimal background, anything too busy will take away the attention from your work. Keep in mind, different techniques show best from different angles so make sure to take a picture that showcases your hard work. As a definite rule, avoid selfies, filters, and any other photo manipulations. Your instructors want to see your work in its pure form, clean images with the client facing the camera. This way they can give the appropriate feedback and you can grow as a professional Makeup Artist.

8. Have Fun

Yes, makeup is a serious profession with a great amount of work that goes into it. Remember this is just the beginning of creating a professional career doing something you love! Have a little fun, play, experiment, make mistakes and don’t be afraid to start over multiple times. As a student, this is your time for experimentation and practice! If you don’t meet your mistakes with a bit of humor, it will be hard to keep at it.

Now that you have these tips to help you with your journey: go get to it! If makeup is your passion, then put all of your soul and creativity into it. You are only at the start of your journey, but this is where the magic begins. Watch the videos, read the course content, ask questions, and pull out that makeup kit and create! Practice, practice, practice = the key to success!